This disclosure relates to energy management, and more particularly to energy management of household refrigeration appliances. The disclosure finds particular application to adapting electromechanically controlled refrigerators for operation in home energy management systems.
Many utilities are currently experiencing a shortage of electric generating capacity due to increasing consumer demand for electricity. Currently utilities charge a flat rate, but with increasing cost of fuel prices and high energy usage at certain parts of the day, utilities have to buy more energy to supply customers during peak demand, which causes prices to rise during these times. If peak demand can be lowered, then a potential huge cost savings can be achieved and the peak load that the utility has to accommodate is lessened. In order to reduce high peak power demand, many utilities have instituted time of use (TOU) metering and rates which include higher rates for energy usage during on-peak times and lower rates for energy usage during off-peak times. As a result, consumers are provided with an incentive to use electricity at off-peak times rather than on-peak times and to reduce overall, energy consumption of devices at all times.
To take advantage of the lower cost of electricity during off-peak times, systems have been provided that can automatically operate power consuming devices during off-peak hours in order to reduce consumer's electric bills and also to reduce the load on generating plants during on-peak hours. Active and real time communication of energy costs of devices to the consumer enables informed choices of operating the power consuming functions of the devices. Although these systems are capable of being run automatically according to demand period, a user may choose to override the system and run a device normally, or delay the operation of the system for a particular period of time.
One method for providing low-cost reduction of peak and average power is to implement a simple demand side management “DSM” control device, also known as a smart appliance module “SAM”, in an existing electromechanical appliance that will adjust, or disable power consuming elements to reduce maximum power consumption. However, such a DSM/SAM add-on device will generally cut off the power to an entire appliance. Therefore, there exists a need for reducing peak power consumption without extinguishing all power to the appliance.
Electronically controlled refrigerators generally include a microcomputer that has control over various functions of the appliance, such as temperature set point for example, to which can be programmed to provide an appropriate DSM/SAM response. For example, when a utility transmits a signal corresponding to a peak demand period, the microcomputer may block access to, or temporarily shuts off, particular features, such as the quick chill, quick thaw, or quick cool features that have associated fans that require additional energy. In addition, or alternatively, the microcomputer may adjust the temperature set point of the freezer, allowing the freezer compartment temperature to increase slightly until the peak demand period is over. At the conclusion of the high rate period, the microcontroller resets the set point to the original set point temperature. The microcontroller may additionally delay a scheduled defrost if the defrost is set to occur during a peak demand period.
While electronically controlled refrigerators can adjust energy usage in response to a “high demand”, many refrigerators include less technically sophisticated controls that do not use a microprocessor.
The subject application provides a system that enables refrigerators that are not equipped with electronic controls to effectively adjust energy usage in response to “high demand” conditions.